Michael Eli Dokosi is a journalist and a formidable writer with a decade's experience. He is a blogger, voice-over artist and MC. Dokosi is fluid with both spoken and written communication. He is for the African cause and reckons Africa shall regain its rightful place in world affairs soon.

Boxing is touted as the noble art of self-defense. And while the game’s regulators demand that practitioners wear a hand or wrist wrap as a form of protection, injuries and deaths do occur.

In the case of amateur boxers they are required to wear boxing helmets.

The helmets in boxing and other contact sports like American football or cycling is to protect the face and the cranium against weighted blows. Even with a full-protection helmet, a boxer can lose consciousness by receiving a kick or an uppercut to the jaw or in the eyes. This is called the knockout or K.O. During a major impact, the brain can “slip” into the skull causing damage to the brain tissue.

And the family of American boxer, Patrick Day has had to find
out the hard way when the 27-year-old died four days after a bout from head
injuries sustained during his fight against Charles Conwell in Chicago on
Saturday.

Day was put into a coma and underwent emergency brain
surgery after being knocked out in the 10th round of the super welterweight
bout.

“Patrick Day passed away today, succumbing to the traumatic brain injury he suffered in his fight this past Saturday, October 12, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL,” a statement on his website signed by promoter Lou DiBella read.

Prior to the 10th round knockout, Day had visited
the canvass twice. When he finally fell, the physicians on hand tried reviving
him before being taken to the hospital.

The statement added Day loved to box although he came from a
wealthy home. “He chose to box, knowing the inherent risks that every fighter
faces when he or she walks into a boxing ring. Boxing is what Pat loved to do.
It’s how he inspired people and it was something that made him feel alive.”

His opponent Conwell wished it was all a dream, noting in an Instagram post: “I never meant this to happen to you, all I wanted to do was win. If I could take it all back, I would. No-one deserves this to happen to them.”

Following Day’s death, Face2Face Africa digs into the archives to look at other black boxers who died in the line of duty.